Netgate Discussion Forum
    • Categories
    • Recent
    • Tags
    • Popular
    • Users
    • Search
    • Register
    • Login

    Install pfSense from USB does not load kernel??

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Problems Installing or Upgrading pfSense Software
    35 Posts 8 Posters 4.9k Views
    Loading More Posts
    • Oldest to Newest
    • Newest to Oldest
    • Most Votes
    Reply
    • Reply as topic
    Log in to reply
    This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
    • GertjanG
      Gertjan
      last edited by

      Hi,

      Check if the USB drive actually works.
      Put it into the system that you used to build it, and boot from it.

      You see the same errors : review the way you build it - use the pfSense's manual for detailed example.
      Also : what file did you use to build the USB drive ?

      No "help me" PM's please. Use the forum, the community will thank you.
      Edit : and where are the logs ??

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • M
        MasterAdde
        last edited by MasterAdde

        Strange :/ I have just 2 files License and Readme......

        gonna try again...
        This img: pfSense-CE-memstick-2.4.4-RELEASE-p3-amd64

        stephenw10S 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • M
          MasterAdde
          last edited by

          Hi again. I did a new install to USB by Win32Diskmanager this time and the same output.

          "no filename specified" and "can´t load 'kernel'"
          I have install pfSense before with other editions and it worked.
          I will try rufus again and see what will happened.

          /Adde

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • M
            MasterAdde
            last edited by

            Hi. I did a new install by "rufus 3.8" with "This img: pfSense-CE-memstick-2.4.4-RELEASE-p3-amd64" and the only files I can see in the usb stick is " LICENSE and README".....:(
            What I am doing wrong.

            /Adde

            GertjanG 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • GertjanG
              Gertjan @MasterAdde
              last edited by

              @MasterAdde said in Install pfSense from USB does not load kernel??:

              What I am doing wrong.

              It's hard to draw any conclusions from what you said :

              @MasterAdde said in Install pfSense from USB does not load kernel??:

              I did a new install by "rufus 3.8"

              You're using this https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/hardware/writing-disk-images.html right ?

              No "help me" PM's please. Use the forum, the community will thank you.
              Edit : and where are the logs ??

              M 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • M
                MasterAdde @Gertjan
                last edited by MasterAdde

                @Gertjan Yes :)

                I have been doing all of what says in there. I have install pfsense before without any problem but that was 2.4.2 and then just updated.
                Now i needed to reinstall and did not have the old versions so I use the new 2.4.4

                2523b523-c9ec-49ed-9d0f-51b2705b50a3-image.png

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • M
                  MasterAdde
                  last edited by

                  This is normal:

                  ad378471-e5b2-42f6-b7c2-067a48325aa1-image.png

                  Instead of "/boot/kernel/kernel" I get:

                  no filename specified
                  no filename specified

                  can´t load 'kernel'

                  Type '?' for a list of commands, 'help' for more detailed help.

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • jimpJ
                    jimp Rebel Alliance Developer Netgate
                    last edited by

                    Use https://www.balena.io/etcher/

                    Rufus causes more problems than it has ever solved.

                    Remember: Upvote with the 👍 button for any user/post you find to be helpful, informative, or deserving of recognition!

                    Need help fast? Netgate Global Support!

                    Do not Chat/PM for help!

                    dotdashD M 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • dotdashD
                      dotdash @jimp
                      last edited by

                      @jimp said in Install pfSense from USB does not load kernel??:

                      Use https://www.balena.io/etcher/

                      An over 120 mb app to flash an image? physdiskwrite was 108k...

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • jimpJ
                        jimp Rebel Alliance Developer Netgate
                        last edited by

                        Yes, it's bloated, but it natively supports compressed images and makes things fairly bulletproof. It's worth it to not have to explain 50 different reasons why someone has failed to properly make an installer disk.

                        Remember: Upvote with the 👍 button for any user/post you find to be helpful, informative, or deserving of recognition!

                        Need help fast? Netgate Global Support!

                        Do not Chat/PM for help!

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • johnpozJ
                          johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                          last edited by johnpoz

                          Are you installing TNSR? Why is this in this section... Looks like your just normal pfsense..

                          Moved..

                          An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
                          If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
                          Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
                          SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • stephenw10S
                            stephenw10 Netgate Administrator @MasterAdde
                            last edited by

                            @MasterAdde said in Install pfSense from USB does not load kernel??:

                            Strange :/ I have just 2 files License and Readme......

                            Just for reference that's expected after flashing the image if you try to read it in Windows. It can only see the fat32 partition with those files in it. The main part of the installer is in UFS which Windows can't read.

                            Steve

                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • M
                              MasterAdde @jimp
                              last edited by

                              @jimp
                              I have tried that as well, but will try again.
                              /Adde

                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • jimpJ
                                jimp Rebel Alliance Developer Netgate
                                last edited by

                                Then try a completely different USB thumbdrive, and try a different USB port on the hardware you are trying to boot.

                                Remember: Upvote with the 👍 button for any user/post you find to be helpful, informative, or deserving of recognition!

                                Need help fast? Netgate Global Support!

                                Do not Chat/PM for help!

                                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • M
                                  MasterAdde
                                  last edited by MasterAdde

                                  This is what I get:
                                  20191108_171251 (1).jpg 20191108_171229 (1).jpg

                                  Wrong order just :)

                                  GalaG 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • M
                                    MasterAdde
                                    last edited by

                                    Trying with etcher again to see what happens

                                    /Adde

                                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • M
                                      MasterAdde
                                      last edited by

                                      Does not work with etcher either ::(
                                      Keep playing around :)

                                      /Adde

                                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • M
                                        MasterAdde
                                        last edited by MasterAdde

                                        20191108_214916.jpg
                                        I did a lsdev and got this...

                                        What are win doing there??

                                        When booting I can use 3 different "kernel" in "options: Kernel: Default/kernel/kernel.old??

                                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • jimpJ
                                          jimp Rebel Alliance Developer Netgate
                                          last edited by

                                          There is a windows partition on the installer so you can put a config.xml in there, and it also contains a copy of the license. That is all normal.

                                          The installer works for pretty much everyone else, so there must be something wrong with either that USB drive or the target hardware/BIOS. Maybe try changing some boot options in the BIOS.

                                          That system is very old, and went EOL about 5 years ago and G5 systems stopped being sold about 10 years ago. It might be a problem with the system in general.

                                          Remember: Upvote with the 👍 button for any user/post you find to be helpful, informative, or deserving of recognition!

                                          Need help fast? Netgate Global Support!

                                          Do not Chat/PM for help!

                                          M 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • M
                                            MasterAdde @jimp
                                            last edited by

                                            @jimp
                                            No its not a problem because i had pfsense verion 2.4.4 installed on this maskine before. I just needed to reinstall te server.
                                            Trying another USB win Win32Manager this time

                                            /Adde

                                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                            • First post
                                              Last post
                                            Copyright 2025 Rubicon Communications LLC (Netgate). All rights reserved.